Type-writer desk.



A. H. STRINGE.

1 .TYPE WRITER DESK. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1 913.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Q-Kg- COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO.,WASHINGTON. D. C. v

FFTC.

ALFRED H. STRING-E, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TYPE-WRITER DESK.

Application filed February 3, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it'known that I, ALFRED H. STRINGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Type-WriterjDesks, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in typewriter desks, and has as its principal object to provide a desk-which will support a typewriter and in which the typewriter may be inclosed when not in use, but which may be conveniently opened and arranged for using the typewriter when so desired.

Another object of my invention is to increase the convenience to the user as well as the durability of the device, and to decrease the cost and increase the ease of manufacture.

A further object "of my invention resides in the particular arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure -'1 is a central longitudinal cross sectional view of my device taken on a vertical plane and showing the device open, or in a position in which the typewriter is to be used; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the device in closed position; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a hOI'i', zontal cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

It will be understood that the drawings forming a part of this specification illustrate only one-half of my device, but that the complete article being symmetrical with respect to the section lines of Figs. 1 and 2, the description of one-half of the device would be identical with that of the other; consequently that no need exists for illustrating more than one-half.

Throughout the separate views the same part is indicated by the same reference character.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 is a suitable framework of a desk in which my improved mechanismfis mounted. The desk is provided with a top 2, a vertical side 3, and a bottom 4. Mounted on the side 3 are two vertical strips 5 and 6, which are spaced apart as shown. The strip 5 serves as a guide for the movable frame in which is mounted the leaf for carrying the type- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Serial No. 745,768.

writer. The strip 6 serves as a stop or brace for holding the movable leaf firmly in place,

in both open and folded position.

7 is a plate shown as made in the form of an irregular octagon. The plate 7 is provided with two pairs of and 9-9, at its bottom and top respectively, which rollers engage the opposite sides of the strip 5, and permit the plate 7 to move from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1.

10-10 and 11-11 are two other pairs of rollers between which are mounted the leaf 12, on which the typewriter is designed to sit.

As mentioned above the device is symmetrical with the section lines of Figs. 1 and 2, consequently there is a plate not shown similar to plate 7, upon which is mounted rollers similar to 10-10 and 11-11 which embrace the other edge of the leaf 12. Bars 13-13 are shown, which extend between the two side plates such as 7, and unite them rigidly 'so as to form a frame. The frame comprising the plates 7 and the bars 13 is counterbalanced by a weight 1 1 which is carried by a pair of pivoted arms such as 15, pivoted to the sides of the desk as at 16. One end of each of the arms 15 is pivotally connected to a link such as 17 which is connected in turn with the movable side plates 7 at such a point as 18. The strips 6 are recessed as indicated at 19 to permit the movement of the arms 15 as the frame moves from one of its positions to the other. The weight 14 is made greater than that of the average typewriter, so that the movable frame tends to rise from the position of Fig. 2. In order to hold the frame down when the machine is not being used, protruding lips such as 20, are formed at the lower part of the strip 6. The leaf 12will be pushed back underneath these lips 20, when the frame is in the position shown in Fig. 2, thus holding the entire device securely in its lowermost position. When the device is down as in Fig. 2, the front cover 21 is turned down over the front of the desk so as to exclude dust. The cover or front board 21 is provided with-a pair of pins such as 22, which work in horizontal grooves 23 formed in the side pieces 3 next to the top 2.

WVhen the device is to be used the part 21 is slid back in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the front part of 21 is sustained by a projecting piece such as 24. In

guide rollers 8-8,

order to use the typewriter therefore, the plate or door 21 is folded up into the position shown in Fig. 1, and the leaf 12 slid forwardly until it clears the lip 20, and until the pins 25 clear the front edge of the strip 6, whereupon the weight 14c will lift the frame or carriage and leaf, or platform, upwardly and the pins 26 will compress the springs 27 carried at the sides of the front portion of the frame 1. The reaction of the springs 27 on the pins 26 will throw the leaf or platform 12 to the rear so that the pins 25 will fit into the recesses 19 in the front face of the strip 6. Consequently when the device is in the position shown in Fig. l, the rear end of the leaf or platform 12 will be firmly held in order to prevent undesirable motion of the leaf or platform when the typewriter is being used. When it is desired to close the device the platform 12 is pulled slightly forward so as to disengage the pins 25 from the recess 19, whereupon the platform may be pushed down and slid back into the position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that the sliding platform 12 is of such length that when slid forwardly as in Fig. 1, the typewriter machine will be in proper position for use, while at the same time the rear portion of the platform or support will be properly engaged by the rolls 10-10 and 11-11, and also that when in this position the vertically reciprocating carriage on which the rolls 10-10 and 11-11 are mounted will be held against tilting motion due to the weight of the typewriter, by the rolls 88 and 9-9 engaging the uprights 5-5 and also by the rolls 10-10 and 1111 engaging the rear portion of the support or platform 12. It will also be seen that when the typewriter and support or platform 12 are pushed in, the machine will rest directly or substantially directly over or upon the reciprocating carriage, which thereby will take the weight of the typewriter direct and thus relieve the platform 12 of strain.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, that various rearrangements and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. In particular it is pointed out that the method shown of guiding the side plate 7 of the vertically reciprocating platform by having rollers which engage the edges of a guide strip, can be discarded in favor of any one of a number of equivalent arrangements, such for instance as having pins on the plate, which would work in a groove.

It will be obvious also that I am not obliged to use a sliding leaf or platform, but that my vertically movable counterbalanced frame or carriage may be used with a-relatively fixed supporting plate, if

so desired. In this case of course the desk would need to be opened at the top. I desire to point out further that I have provided a satisfactory design in which the weight of the typewriter is counterbalanced by a weight, thus avoiding the use of springs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the class specified, a vertically reciprocating carriage comprising vertically extending side plate members, cross bars substantially below the upper ends of said side plate members, and rollers on said side plate members above said cross bars and substantially below the tops of said members, in combination with a horizontally slidable platform or support located between said side members and engaged by said rollers.

2. In a device of the class specified, a vertically reciprocating carriage comprising vertically extending side members, cross bars extending between and connecting said members, said cross bars being located a little below the middle of said side members, rollers on said side members, and a horizontally slidable platform located between said side members and engaged by said rollers, said rollers being positioned to locate said platform above said cross bars and about midway between the top and bottom of said side members.

3. In a device of the class specified, a vertically reciprocating carriage comprising vertically extending metallic side members, metallic cross bars having their ends secured to said side members and extending between the same, rollers on said side members, a platform located between said side members and engaged by said rollers and horizontally slidable upon the same, said rollers being positioned so as to locate said platform substantially below the tops of said side members and above said cross bars.

4. The combination of a vertically reciprocable carriage, a typewriter support carried by said carriage and horizontally movable relatively thereto, and a locking device for locking said carriage in elevated position, comprising a member having a recess into which said support can fit to hold it against upward and downward movement, and a spring for automatically acting upon said support to shift the same horizontally into said recess.

5. The combination with a vertically reciprocable carriage, of a typewriter support carried by said carriage and movable horizontally relatively to the same, a vertically disposed member provided near its upper end with a recess to engage the rear of said support, a spring in front of said recess adapted to engage said support and act upon the same to shift it into engage- 12o ment with said recess, and a projection near the lower end of said vertically disposed member in the rear of said carriage to engage said support and hold the same downwardly when the support is shifted backwardly with reference to said carriage.

6. A device of the class specified, com prising a vertically reciprocating carriage, a forwardly and backwardly sliding support or platform carried by the carriage, a spring for sliding the platform backwardly when it has reached a predetermined height, and a member having a recess adapted to engage a projection on the support or platform when the same is slid backwardly by said spring.

7. A device of the class specified, comprising a desk framework, vertical guide members 5 and 6, on the sides of said framework, the members 6 having notches 19 and being provided with laterally projecting lips 20, a vertical reciprocating carriage, arranged to slide between the guides 6 and the front of the desk framework, said carriage being provided with upper and lower sets of rollers 8 and 9, respectively, whereof said rollers are both in front and in rear of said guides 6, said carriage being also provided with front and rear sets of rollers 10 and 11, a platform or support 12 arranged to slide forwardly and rearwardly on said carriage between the rollers 10 and 11 thereof, said platform being sufliciently long to eX- tend forwardly to support the typewriter and also to engage the rollers 10 and 11 when slid forwardly, pins 24: and 25 on said platform or support, the pins 24: being adapted to engage the notches 27 in the guides 6, and springs 26 adapted to engage the pins 25 and slide the platform 12 rearwardly when the pins 24 have come opposite the notches 19.

8. In a device of the class specified, a vertically reciprocating carriage comprising side plate members 77, horizontally extending bars 1313 between and secured to said plate members, rolls 1010 and 11-11 at the forward and rear ends respectively of said plate member 7, a platform 12 arranged to move between the rolls 1010 and 11--11.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of January, A. D. 1913.

ALFRED H. STRINGE.

WVitnesses:

A. L. JONES, H. A. J ONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (3. 

